Ange names squad for UAE, Qatar

The Socceroos face the UAE in Abu Dhabi on Friday 10 October and then play Qatar in Doha on Tuesday 14 October as Postecoglou continues to give players an opportunity at international level to create more depth ahead of the 2015 AFC Asian Cup.

“We are still giving players we’ve identified for the National team an opportunity to experience international football to ensure we create a deeper pool of players to call on for the Asian Cup and beyond,” Postecoglou said.

“These two games give us a few more to throw into the mix with an experienced core group of players to see how they cope with the training intensity and the demands of international football before we start monitoring them all leading into the Japan match.

“We will be in a position to select a settled squad for the Japan match in November, which will offer a strong indication of where we are at leading into the Asian Cup although players can always come into the squad with strong form and fitness at club level.”

The Socceroos squad includes four Hyundai A-League players, 14 members of the final squad from the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil and just one uncapped player, Sydney FC striker Bernie Ibini.

The matches take place at the same time as the opening round of the Hyundai A-League 2014/15 season and Postecoglou admitted to a balancing act between the local competition and the needs of the National Team.

“We were mindful that the matches coincide with the first weekend of the A-League and we tried to not be too disruptive but ultimately this is our National team and everyone agrees this is the highest honour in the game and we will always pick players deserving of that honour,” Postecoglou said.